Iraqi president officially invited to visit Turkey

By Amir al-Saadi

BAGHDAD

Iraqi President Barham Salih has received an official invitation from his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit Turkey, according to the Iraqi Presidency on Thursday.

In a statement, the Presidency said the invitation was conveyed by Ambassador to Iraq, Fatih Yildiz during his meeting with the Iraqi leader at the Al-Salam Palace in Baghdad.

During the meeting, the Iraqi president expressed his "regards to the Turkish president and thanked him for the invitation".

For his part, the Turkish envoy underlined Turkey's "keenness to consolidate relations with Iraq at various levels."

On October 2, Salih was elected president and conducted his first regional tour last month, which included a number of Gulf states and Iran.